Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done—Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

My son and I wanted to catch a movie at our town’s waterfront park. At the end of a busy day, we ran late, and all the nearby parking spots were taken. When Isaac, who has Down syndrome, gets tired or loses patience, he’ll dig in his heels and go no further, even if it’s something he really wants to do. 

Laps around the various lots yielded nothing, and parking far away wasn’t an option as I had chairs to carry. I started to feel anxious and prayed because I was out of ideas. 

Thank You, Jesus! I finally found an open parking spot, but it was far enough away to make it a struggle with beach chairs and now-grumpy Isaac in tow. I got out of my minivan and popped open the trunk, wondering how we’d manage. 

“Isabella, is that you?” 

My friend Tammy and her husband, Tim, were walking their dogs. I didn’t know they lived nearby. I explained our plight. 

“Our golf cart is right around the corner,” Tammy said, as Tim darted down the street to retrieve it. 

Moments later, Tim pulled up, loaded our chairs, and delivered Isaac and me to the perfect spot in the grass to watch the movie. I marveled how Jesus answered my prayer in a way I never imagined. I wanted a close parking space, but a wheeled cart was even better. I was out of ideas, but Jesus was not.  

Faith Step: Next time you run into a problem, make prayer your first resort instead of your last.